To park or not to park

Neighbors see share of lawn parkers Saturday.

Neighbors see share of lawn parkers Saturday.

September 10, 2006|ALICIA GALLEGOS Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Shortly after sunrise, in neighborhoods and city blocks close to the University of Notre Dame campus, the parking frenzy began. Vehicles carrying fans quickly filled side streets, alleys, driveways, and yes -- the ever debated -- area lawns. "I was up at 7 a.m. to walk (my dog) and they were already parking," said resident Jennifer Dambrosia, who has lived on Notre Dame Avenue for 30 years. "It's not like (lawn parking) is a new thing. It's been here for 40 years." Dambrosia was aware of the ongoing controversy surrounding whether motorists should be allowed to park in yards, which includes a proposed ordinance to curb the custom. Standing in her front yard with dog "Libby" Saturday afternoon, Dambrosia pointed to a handful of cars in her own driveway, including one parked on the grass. "It's no big deal," she said. "It's part of being so close to campus." Residents on Saturday had mixed reactions about lawn parking, a topic that was discussed Thursday night at the Common Council's zoning and annexation meeting. The issue is especially prevalent during Notre Dame home football games. The latest proposal would mean parking on lawns is illegal in single-family zoned neighborhoods in front yards that don't have a "hard surfaced driveway ... or dust free surface." A provision to allow a special exception or temporary seasonal use of lawn parking, would be part of the proposed ordinance. Resident L.C. Walker, who lives across the street from Dambrosia, said a seasonal exception makes sense, although he doesn't believe lawn parking is necessarily a problem year-round anyway. Walker had a total of seven vehicles parked in his front lawn Saturday, which he said belonged mostly to friends and some to strangers. Every now and then he charged between $5 and $10 for people to park there, he said. "I don't see (anything) wrong with it," he said. However, just down the street from Walker, on St. Vincent Street, another neighbor was finding something very wrong with a vehicle near his house. It was blocking his driveway. Myron J. Busby Jr. called for a tow truck after spotting a minivan blocking his back driveway just before game time. Police and a Herb's tow truck quickly remedied the dilemma. A police officer at the scene said it was his first "illegal parking" call of the day, but that more would probably follow. Busby said in the 36 years he's lived in his home, he's had to call a tow truck about illegal parking about 12 times. One of those incidents did involve a fan parking on his side yard, he said, but most were issues like Saturday's. What really angers Busby, he said, are "the buttheads from (out of state) that block the intersection." Parkers, like Nancy Cole, said they could see the friction that lawn parking causes and said the decision is best left up to the homeowner. "If it were my house," said Cole, a tailgater who had parked nearby, "I don't want (lawn parking) affecting my neighbors and ruining my lawn. "It's not worth it." The Area Plan Commission is set to discuss the issue Sept. 19.